Releasable lock arrangement for excavating teeth and the like

ABSTRACT

A replaceable bushing capable of self-supporting seating in the aperture of an excavator lip whereby worn bearing areas are easily and mechanically replaced, and thereby function better to support and tie an adapter or other excavating teeth components to the excavator.

Mme fits att Ha m 15] 3,6fi4fi44 5 TEETH Inventor: Frederick C. H, Beaverton, Oreg. Assignee: Esco Corporation, Portland, Oreg. Filed: Oct. 30, 1970 Appl. No.: 85,409

US. Cl. ..37/142 R, 16/2 Int. Cl. ..E02f 9/28 lField olfSearch ..37/141,142;16/2

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Whisler ..37/141 T 2,113,420 4/1938 Younie ..37/141 T 2,229,267 1/1941 Younie ..37/142 R 2,472,892 6/1949 George ..37/142 R 3,455,040 7/1969 Ratkowski ..37/ 142 R Primary ExaminerEdgar S. Burr Attorney-Dawson, Tilton, Fallon and Lungmus ABSTRACT A replaceable bushing capable of self-supporting seating in the aperture of an excavator lip whereby worn bearing areas are easily and mechanically replaced, and thereby function better to support and tie an adapter or other excavating teeth components to the excavator.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented May 23, 1972 2 Shee cs-She e t 1 x I 1 I 28 24 INVENTUR. FREDERICK C. HAHN BY Patented May 23, 1972 3,664,M

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I d was )1 INVENTOR. FREDERICK C. HAHN RELEASABLE LOCK ARRANGEMENT FOR EXCAVATING TEETH AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention finds utility in connection with the excavating tooth art. For quite some time it has been the practice in the excavating art to fasten teeth in the nature of wedge-shaped projections to the forward edge of an excavating scoop. These teeth take the brunt of the penetrating stress, and wear more rapidly than the scoop itself. Thus, replacement is indicated from time to time. Moreover, the shock stresses are transmitted from the excavating tooth to the scoop member, and this results in wear at the point of connection. Most usually the excavating tooth includes a replaceable point and a supporting adapter, with the adapter being fixed by a suitable lock to the scoop. One advantageous way of achieving this fastening is seen in US. Pat. No. 3,121,289.

Inasmuch as the scoop life extends beyond the life of a number of excavating teeth, the scoop openings for receiving the adapter locking devices become worn, and in the past have required extensive rebuilding, as by welding. This is avoided by the instant invention which provides a replaceable bushing or insert for installation in the various openings in the forward edge of the scoop normally intended to receive the locking devices for securing the excavating tooth adapter in place, in a fashion indicated in the copending, co-owned application of Hahn et al Ser. No. 836,539, filed June 25, 1969.

For the purpose of releasably, yet positively securing supported elements, such as adapters, on support members, such as the scoops of front end loaders, dredge cutters, and the like, a unique bushing construction is provided which includes a generally rectangular unitary body wherein one end is sloped and the other end is equipped with laterally extending wings resulting in a self-supporting arrangement of the bushing relative to the support member. This makes it possible for detachment and installation of the excavating tooth by only a single artisan and in a quick and expeditious manner, thereby limiting the amount of down time and labor involved in repairing valuable equipment.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION The invention is described in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lip portion of a front end loader featuring the inventive connection;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a bushing constructed according to the invention and employed in the arrangement depicted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one excavating tooth such as would be seen along the sight line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the bushing portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view partially in section of the forward portion of the scoop of FIG. 1, and showing the bushing in the process of being inserted;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but featuring the arrangement of elements at a later stage of installation and wherein the excavating tooth is being applied to the scoop;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6, and depicting a still later stage in the installation procedure wherein the C-clamp portion of the lock is being inserted into the aligned openings in the excavating tooth adapter and bushing; and

FIG. 8 is still another view similar to FIGS. 5-7 and showing the final stage of installation wherein the fluted spool of the lock arrangement is in the process of being inserted to clamp the various parts together in the fashion depicted in FIG. 3.

In the illustration given, and with reference to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates generally the lip portion of a scoop such as is employed on a front end loader, viz., a tractor equipped with the forwardly projecting bucket-type member for earth moving. It will be appreciated that the lip may be provided as an integral part 'of the scoop, or itself, as a replaceable element. In any event, the scoop or lip 10 is equipped with a plurality of laterally spaced-apart, forwardly projecting, excavating teeth as at 11. Each tooth in accordance with the usual contemporary practice includes an adapter 12 and a replacement point 13. The replacement point 13 is maintained on the adapter 12 through the provision of a lock 14, and the adapter 12 is held on the scoop lip 10 by means of another lock generally designated 15, and it is this latter lock 15 with which the instant invention is concerned.

Still referring to FIG. 11, it is seen that the adapters 12 maintain a plurality of shrouds 16 in place overlying the extreme forward edges of the scoop lip 10, and which is described in greater detail in the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 836,539. By maintaining the shrouds in place through the engagement of the adapters therewith, it is possible to readily renew the shrouds merely by removing the adapters through the disassembly of the lock 15, resulting in a zipper lip.

Turning now to FIG. 3, it is seen that the lock arrangement 15 includes two of the-elements previously described in Pat. No. 3,121,289, these being a fluted spool or C clamp 17 and a wedge 18. Further included in the locking arrangement of the instant invention is a replaceable bushing generally designated 19, and seen in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 4.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 58 which delineate the method of installing the lock 15. In FIG. 5 the bushing 19 is seen in the process of being inserted into an aperture 20 provided adjacent the forward edge 21 of the scoop 10. The forward edge 21 is equipped with a projection 22 which is employed in connection with the mounting of the excavating tooth 11 (more precisely, the mounting of the adapter 12 which is seen in the process of being installed on the scoop lip 10 in FIG. 6).

In FIG. 7, the spool 17 is seen in the process of being installed through the adapter 12 and bushing 19. More particularly, the adapter 12 is equipped with an opening extending therethrough as at 23, and the bushing 19 is equipped with a passage extending therethrough as at 24. The opening 23 and the passage 24 are aligned in the fashion seen in FIG. 3, and it is through these that the spool 17 is inserted. Finally, in FIG. 8, the wedge portion of the lock, as at 18, is in the process of being inserted through the same aligned passage 24 and opening 23 to firmly clamp the adapter 12 onto the excavating scoop lip 10 about the aperture 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4, the bushing 19 is seen to be made up of a unitary body, as by casting, and wherein the body can be considered generally rectangular in nature. Advantageously, the body of the bushing 19 is relatively elongated in a fore and aft, i.e., longitudinal, direction relative to the scoop 10 to provide a forward end wall 25 and a rear end wall 26. Flanking the end walls are side walls 27 which are relatively flat. It will be noted that the end wall 26 is sloped or inclined, thereby conforming to the similar contour of the end wall 28 provided in the aperture 20 of the scoop lip 10. This results in a larger bottom side face than upper side face on the insert 19.

Provided adjacent the forward end 25, and on the upper side of the bushing body 19, are a pair of laterally extending wings 29. These serve to overlie the portion of the scoop lip adjacent the aperture 20 and make the bushing self-supporting within the aperture 20 when the same is installed in the fashion shown in FIG. 5. More particularly, the provision of the wings 29 in the forward one-third of the body and the sloped rear end wall 26 develop this advantageous self-support of the bushing within the scoop. I also provide an upstanding abutment 30 on the bushing 19 which is employed to obtain additional bearing for the wedge 18. However, this may be eliminated, particularly if a different type of locking arrangement (other than the wedge and spool) is employed. For example, it is possible to reduce the size of the passage 24 and make use of a different locking element, such as a bolt. The inventive bushing or insert is thus able to easily and mechanically replace bearing areas that are worn due to service conditions at the support, and tie an adapter type configuration to a member, such as a lip. Also, the bushing allows for the substantial elimination (as at 12a in FIG. 6) of the bottom leg of the conventional slipover type adapter inasmuch as it provides a mating recess for the locking device, which, in the illustrated case, is a C-clamp. Eliminating the bottom leg not only reduces weight, but minimizes obstructions in drag on the under side of the lip during the digging process.

Through the provision of the positioner tabs or wings 29, the insert is maintained in self-supporting position. This makes it possible for one man to do the work without additional assistance and in a reasonably short time. Excellent take-up and tightness in the total assembly are achieved through the sloped ramp or wall 26, and the flat bearing surface 31 immediately above it is spaced suitably below the mating faces of the adapter 12 and scoop 10 to permit this take-up. Further stabilization is achieved through the double slope provided on the front wall 25.

In the inventive arrangement, a four-in-one part system is employed, each part holding another in engagement. For example, the back slope or end wall 26 pushes up on the bearing wall 28 of the lip aperture 20, the undersurface 17a of the top C-clamp leg holds the adapter 12 down, and the upper surface 17b of the bottom C-clamp leg fits into the passage 24 of the insert 19 and holds it in place. All of these are then held in total union by the insertion .of the wedge 18. Additionally, bearing is achieved between the forward end wall 25 of the bushing 19 and the mating end wall 32 of the aperture 20, as seen in FIG. 3.

I claim:

1. A releasable lock arrangement for excavating teeth and the like comprising:

a relatively flat support member equipped with a generally rectangular aperture extending therethrough, said aperture having opposed side and end walls, one of said end walls being inclined to provide a larger aperture on one side of said support member.

a bushing mounted in said aperture, said bushing including a generally rectangular body having opposed side and end walls and side faces, one of said bushing end walls being inclined and mating with the support member aperture inclined end wall and having thereby a larger side face, said body adjacent the other end wall and the smaller of said side faces being equipped with laterally projecting wings supported on the other side of said support member, said bushing having a passage extending therethrough from one surface to the other,

a supported element mounted on said member and an opening aligned with said passage, and

lock means extending through an aligned element opening and bushing passage.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 in which said lock means includes a C-shaped spool and wedge element, and said supported element is an excavating tooth.

3. A replacement bushing for a releasable lock arrangement for excavating teeth and the like comprising a generally rectangular body having opposed side and end walls and upper and lower faces, one of said bushing end walls being inclined to provide a larger lower face than the upper face, said body adjacent the other end wall and the smaller ofsaid faces being equipped with laterally projecting wings integral with said body, said body having a passage extending through from one face to the other.

4. The bushing of claim 3 in which the other end wall is equipped with convergent forwardly projecting surfaces.

5. The bushing of claim 3 in which said wings are located within the forward one-third portion of said bushing.

6. The bushing of claim 3 in which said body has an integral upstanding abutment adjacent said other end wall.

having 

1. A releasable lock arrangement for excavating teeth and the like comprising: a relatively flat support member equipped with a generally rectangular aperture extending therethrough, said aperture having opposed side and end walls, one of said end walls being inclined to provide a larger aperture on one side of said support member, a bushing mounted in said aperture, said bushing including a generally rectangular body having opposed side and end walls and side faces, one of said bushing end walls being inclined and mating with the support member aperture inclined end wall and having thereby a larger side face, said body adjacent the other end wall and the smaller of said side faces being equipped with laterally projecting wings supported on the other side of said support member, said bushing having a passage extending therethrough from one surface to the other, a supported element mounted on said member and having an opening aligned with said passage, and lock means extending through an aligned element opening and bushing passage.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1 in which said lock means includes a C-shaped spool and wedge element, and said supported elemeNt is an excavating tooth.
 3. A replacement bushing for a releasable lock arrangement for excavating teeth and the like comprising a generally rectangular body having opposed side and end walls and upper and lower faces, one of said bushing end walls being inclined to provide a larger lower face than the upper face, said body adjacent the other end wall and the smaller of said faces being equipped with laterally projecting wings integral with said body, said body having a passage extending through from one face to the other.
 4. The bushing of claim 3 in which the other end wall is equipped with convergent forwardly projecting surfaces.
 5. The bushing of claim 3 in which said wings are located within the forward one-third portion of said bushing.
 6. The bushing of claim 3 in which said body has an integral upstanding abutment adjacent said other end wall. 